Dissemination Workshop
''Innovation & Socio-economic research for
SMEs: Experiences & Future Initiatives''
Targeting FP7 for R&TD (2007-2013)

The workshop was organised on 17/12/2007 in Brussels (BE). It was the major (final) dissenination event organized under PLATON as the project has now ended.

The objectivesd of the event were:

1. To share experiences from the elaboration of projects supporting SME participation in European Framework Programmes for RTD 
   
   
2. To demonstrate the benefits and added value that innovation and socio-economic research and their results can have in SMEs 
   
   
3. To initiate future projects supporting participation of SMEs in FP7

Tailored services provided to individual SMEs that are carefully selected seem to have best results. In parallel, the successful participation of SMEs in European research programmes is heavily affected by the level of networking between them and experienced research organizations and large enterprises. The above comprise some of the conclusions drawn / confirmed during the workshop. Overall, 48 participants from 17 countries attented the workshop.

The event consisted of 2 parts:

• The first addressed Lessons learned from SME support to EU research - good practices, tips, approaches and methodologies, activities and services (the presentations are available here).
  
  
• The second addressed Innovation and Socio-economic related research: Benefits and added value for SMEs issues. Namely, case studies and examples demonstrating how SMEs can benefits directly or indirectly from research projects in the area of innovation and socio-economic sciences were presented. (the presentations are available here)

You may download the main findings of the workshop: conclusions and reccomendations.